Talia Isaacson Avatar

Talia Isaacson

Talia is originally from San Diego, CA, but her passion for agriculture mostly developed on the coast of Maine, where she lived and worked on an educational diversified farm throughout parts of her high school years. Since then, Talia has spent time working on various farms in both Vermont and Arkansas, which has further solidified her interest in small-scale agriculture and its myriad intersections with community welfare, environmental sustainability, and education. She is a senior in the English department at Cornell and began working for the Cornell Small Farms Program in early 2018. Talia also works for the Local & Regional Food Systems initiative.

  • In the News: How We’re Imagining the Future of Urban Agriculture

    Talia Isaacson

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    In 2019, our director Anu Ranjarajan, and Molly Riordan, now an urban agriculture specialist with our program, published a report titled “The Promise of Urban Agriculture.” This report was drawn from data collected from a wide network of active urban growers was designed to further augment our Urban Ag project. Over the past two years,…

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  • In the News: COVID-19 Reveals Slaughterhouse Shortages

    Talia Isaacson

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    Finding a slaughterhouse to process meat has been a challenge for small farmers for years. Federally inspected slaughterhouses are few and far between, and in many parts of the country, it takes driving long distances — often multiple hours, both ways — to reach one. This shortage is often attributed to the consolidation of processing…

  • In the News: Our Director Helps Provide CEA Training Opportunities

    Talia Isaacson

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    As the year-round market demand for local food grows, more farmers are using controlled environments, such as greenhouses, to efficiently produce fresh, high-quality fruits and vegetables. However, this controlled environment agriculture, or CEA, requires advanced knowledge of both infrastructure and plant biology. As a result, it has been difficult for many farmers to come by…

  • Back to Basics: Herd Management Lessons from COVID-19

    Talia Isaacson

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    By Lindsay Ferlito, Betsy Hicks, and Margaret Quaassdorff, CCE Regional Dairy Specialists In response to these especially volatile times, producers have been faced with having to make rapid changes. These changes have led to some unintended consequences, many of which would often be considered positive in a typical dairy market. When producers take a step…

  • Beefing Up the Dairy Industry: New Research Offers Guidance on Beef Crossbreeding

    Talia Isaacson

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    Farmers may now be better equipped to decide if a beef cross-breeding enterprise would be a good addition to their dairy business, thanks to new research from Cornell University Beef Extension Specialist Mike Baker.  Baker’s research has found that Expected Progeny Difference (EPD) data points can help dairy farmers make a good-fit beef breed bull…

  • This Soil Bacteria Could Help Fight Climate Change

    Talia Isaacson

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    A new species of soil bacteria, discovered by Cornell University researchers, is particularly adept at breaking down organic matter, including the carcinogenic chemicals that are released from the burning of fossil fuels. This property means it could help clean up contaminated soils, as well as serve as a key player in the soil carbon cycle. …

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  • Portable Imaging Tool Will Transform Gravevine Pruning

    Talia Isaacson

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    Pruning vines is one of the most important tasks of a viticulturist. If done improperly, the vine can produce yields that are either too high or too low, both of which pose risks. When yields are too high, sugars are low in fruits, making them poor wine grapes; when too low, fruit sales don’t cover…

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  • Green Cherry Tomato ‘Jaded’ Offers Options in Color

    Talia Isaacson

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    Meet ‘Jaded’, the newest cherry tomato cultivar from Cornell Agritech! As part of a growing collection of diverse cherry tomato varieties, including the Galaxy Suite, Jaded offers growers a whole new color option: it ripens green, but maintains the sweetness of a ripe red.  “When people think of sweeter types of products, green doesn’t necessarily…

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  • News & Notes for New York Farmers from the New York Farm Bureau

    Talia Isaacson

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    Tax Credit Available to New York Farmers for Charitable Food Donations Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently announced New York farmers are eligible to receive a tax credit for qualifying food donations made to food banks and other emergency food programs beginning Jan. 1, 2018. The tax credit is expected to save farmers a total of…

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  • Practice the Grazing You Preach

    Talia Isaacson

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    University of Vermont Grazing Specialist puts grazing practices to the test at home.    Marc and Cheryl Cesario own and operate Meeting Place Pastures in Cornwall, Vermont, where they raise grass-fed beef and certified organic eggs. With 500-acres of certified organic pastureland, they harness solar energy that is converted into a wholesome and nutritious feed…

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